


Past Ties

by appleslovetea



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Post Innocent Eyes story arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:08:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29582841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appleslovetea/pseuds/appleslovetea
Summary: Something major has disrupted Asami’s day, and it is up to his young lover to find out what has happened.
Relationships: Asami Ryuichi/Takaba Akihito
Comments: 16
Kudos: 217





	1. Chapter 1

The sun had not yet set over the horizon when Akihito arrived home that day, arms packed with grocery shopping bags.

Having craved homemade sushi for a while now, the photographer decided to take advantage of a slow news day at the office to ditch work early and rush home so that he would have time to make it for dinner.

Given the hour, Akihito had expected to find the penthouse empty, but to his surprise he bumped into none other than Kirishima Key as soon as he stepped onto the _genkan_.

"Oh, hi! What are you doing here?" He greeted cheerfully.

"How curious. I ask myself that of _you_ every day."

Akihito bit his tongue to prevent himself from lashing out at Asami's assistant. There was no way he was going to let the stuck-up man ruin his good mood.

So instead of willingly initiating one of their usual banter fests, the photographer answered Kirishima's grumpiness with a friendly smile... albeit with effort.

"No, seriously, what are you doing here so early? Did Asami leave his briefcase behind, or something?"

"No. Asami- _sama_ didn't leave anything behind." Kirishima stated, making sure to emphasize the honorific. "He came home earlier today, that's all. He... needs some time for himself."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Asami-sama is in need of some time alone today." The man replied in a low voice, almost as if he was talking to himself. "Although,... perhaps some company might actually do him good in such circumstances."

The younger man waved a hand in front of Kirishima's unusually vacant stare. "Oi, glasses secretary? You do realize you're not making any sense, right? What's up with Asami? Did he come down with the flu?"

The assistant's gaze suddenly fixed itself on Akihito. "You!"

"Huh? What about me?"

"You must go to him." The assistant said, grabbing hold of Akihito's shoulders. "Asami-sama needs you."

And with that, he started pulling the photographer along the hallway with him.

"H-Hey, wait up!" Akihito protested. "If he's feeling sick, tell him to take some meds. What am I supposed to do to help him out?"

"Just do whatever it is you normally do to get his mind off of daily hassles."

For some odd reason, the younger man's brain went straight to sex as soon as he heard the words, causing him to blush profusely.

"I-I'm not in the mood right now." He stammered.

"I don't care! Get in the mood. _Fast_. It's for Asami-sama's sake."

They had stopped by the living room's threshold, with Kirishima doing his best to pull Akihito inside the room by latching on to one of the younger man's legs, whilst the photographer clung for dear life to the doorframe.

Through the closed balcony doors on the other side of the living room, Akihito could just about glimpse Asami's profile, as the latter casually leaned against the railing, seemingly oblivious to the commotion taking place just a few dozen feet away from him.

"Cease and desist with your stubbornness, Takaba Akihito!" Kirishima hissed through clenched teeth. "I told you already, Asami-sama needs you."

"Are you high on drugs, or something? Let me go!"

Akihito tried kicking Kirishima, but while unsuccessful, the move did cause his trainer to unexpectedly shoot out from his foot, projecting the assistant backwards.

The older man landed on the carpeted floor with a thud and a yelp, whilst Akihito, finally free from the man's tight grip, sat down on the floor, panting from exhaustion.

He was quick to compose himself nevertheless, yanking the trainer from the assistant's hands and shoving his foot back inside it.

Outside on the sun-bathed balcony, Asami remained unaware of the whole racket. 

A fuming Akihito turned his equally fuming gaze back at Kirishima, who remained seated on the floor, seemingly defeated for the time being. "Have you lost it, old man?" The photographer shouted. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

Kirishima looked toward him, and the genuinely worried expression contorting his features startled Akihito far more than the man's uncharacteristic antics just moments before.

"Please." Kirishima said. "I-I've never seen him like this. Not in all the years I've worked for him."

A bad feeling instantly grabbed hold of Akihito's chest. He looked from the pleading assistant toward Asami, but the business man had in the meantime turned his back to the living room, and the photographer could no longer see his face.

"What...What's going on?"

With increased dread, Akihito recalled the cough attacks that had been afflicting Asami as of late. They were getting pretty bad, and just the other day, the business man had had one right in the middle of the two of them having sex, putting an abrupt end to what had been a very pleasurable night.

"Oh shit, he's sick. It's that damn cough, isn't it? H-He's found out there's something wrong with his lungs."

But Kirishima was quick to dismiss the notion. "Asami-sama's fine." He assured the younger man. "He's had his annual check-up just yesterday. There's nothing wrong with his lungs. The doctor put him on allergy medication for the cough attacks, that's all that was to that."

Akihito let out a sigh of relief. "Then what?" He asked. "Did the stock market crash today? Is he broke? Did one of his hotels collapse? Is his company being investigated by the cops?"

Again, Kirishima Key shook his head vehemently.

"No. It's nothing related to work. If it was, I'd know what to do."

"Well, if whatever's the matter with him has nothing to do with health or work, I'm at a loss then. What else is there?"

"It...It has to do with family."

"Family? Whose family?"

"Asami-sama's, who else's?"

"...Huh?"

"You look awfully surprised, Takaba Akihito. Did you think he didn't have one? That he grew out of a tree or something?"

"Well,...kind of?"

Kirishima huffed at the remark. "On second thought," He said, getting up from the floor and dusting off his pants. "maybe sending you out there to talk to him might not be a good idea after all. You might end up doing more harm than good."

"Hey! I want to help." The photographer looked once more toward the older man on the balcony. "I want to help him."

Kirishima's subsequent frown though, didn't exactly fill the younger man with confidence.

"So, on a scale of one to ten, how serious is this family conundrum business?"

"Twenty."

" _Oh_. Right. ...I should get going then."

When Kirishima replied with a dejected sigh, he frowned.

"Relax, will you? I've got this covered." Akihito said, walking past the assistant toward the balcony doors. "...I think." He mumble to himself a moment later.

He waited until Kirishima left the room to step onto the balcony. As he did so, he saw Asami lighting up a Dunhill against his lips; the fuming ashtray near the older man serving as testimony to the latter's recent chain smoking.

" _I wonder how long he's been out here_." Akihito thought.

"Hey there!" He greeted joyfully, in an attempt to sound natural.

... An attempt which he suspected failed most spectacularly, judging by the deep frown Asami greeted him with in return.

"Don't tell me that guy called you for you to come home early?"

Odd. Asami looked and sounded well enough to Akihito's eyes and ears. Maybe Kirishima-san had really lost a couple of marbles after all...

"Huh? Do you mean the glasses secretary?" The photographer replied. "Not really. I came home early to make sushi. I kind of bumped into him just now by accident. _Wow_ , did you smoke all of those?"

Akihito stared wide-eyed at the contents of the ashtray. There were at least a dozen cigarette buds scattered inside it.

"Felt like it." Was the other man's terse response, whilst taking another drag from his latest cigarette.

" _Hm, I guess something might really be bothering him after all_."

Akihito mimicked Asami's posture by leaning his own torso against the railing, all the while watching the man's pensive expression from the corner of his eye.

"You know, he _is_ kind of worried about you."

"Who?"

"Kirishima-san."

"It's nothing. Don't mind him."

The photographer figured his disbelief must have somehow shown through his features, because a second later the business man's hand came up to ruffle his hair.

"I'm fine, kid. There's nothing for you to worry about." Asami answered with a reassuring smile.

One which Akihito could instantly tell was fake.

"Well,... Kirishima-san did tell me something was up."

"Did he?" Asami's tone wasn't exactly an invitation for further inquiries, but it's not like it was completely inhospitable either.

So Akihito decided to push his luck.

"Yeah... He kind of hinted to me that something serious had happened... with your family."

"That guy..." Asami grumbled, shaking his head.

"...Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did something happen... with your family?"

"I don't have a family, Akihito."

"Oh, come on, everyone has a family... At least at some point in their lives."

Asami didn't reply to the observation. In fact, the photographer wasn't sure his last words had even registered with the older man, if one were to take into account the latter's broodiness.

He was, however, very much aware that he was navigating through dangerous territory. After all, the subject of 'family' was absolute taboo around the likes of Asami Ryuichi.

To be fair, the last time the business man had voluntarily shared any sort of details regarding his family situation with Akihito had been...well... _never_.

The little the photographer knew on the subject had been obtained through his own investigations on the matter back when he had first learned of Asami's existence, but much like then, his lover's formative years remained even now shrouded in the thickest of fogs.

A few years spent under his now deceased mother's not-so-motherly care in Tokyo, followed by a stint at an expensive boarding school somewhere in Europe, were pretty much all which filled the pages of Akihito's investigative report on Asami's life up to the latter's student years at Tokyo Imperial College.

Sure, there was also Maxim, of course; Asami's stern half-brother, whom Akihito had met whilst in Europe, after being rescued from Chernobog's clutches.

He had even spent a couple of weeks convalescing at Maxim's ridiculously lavish mansion in Istria, slowly piecing his memories back together, whilst also attempting to mend his then fractured relationship with Asami. 

But other than assessing that the two brothers had absolutely nothing in common aside from a similar taste in expensive wristwatches, Akihito still didn't know how to fit Asami's older brother into the complex puzzle that was his lover's life. 

The younger man bit his lower lip, uncertain on how to proceed.

People say curiosity killed the cat. But cats have nine lives, don't they? And Akihito sure as hell wouldn't mind sacrificing one of them, if that meant diving head deep into Asami's secretive past.

So he pushed on yet again...cautiously.

"Well, whatever happened... I can tell it upset you." 

The remark was met by another frown.

"Why do you say that?"

"You're chain smoking."

"I told you already. I felt like it. It doesn't mean I'm upset."

"Except you only chain smoke when you are."

"What makes you think that?"

"My advanced academic degree on 'Asami Ryuichi Studies'."

The corner of Asami's mouth twitched upwards for a brief second.

"Really?" The older man asked with interest. "And how is your degree coming along?"

"Better than anyone thought it would."

The smile stayed on Asami's lips this time around.

"Mm, is that so?" He said, lowering his face toward the photographer.

"Yep." Akihito nodded. "It's kind of going so well, I'm even thinking of applying for a PhD."

"Such confidence."

Asami's lips were gentle when they touched the younger man's; soft and sweet and intent on exploring, rather than devouring; yet another contrast to the business man's usual behavior.

Not that Akihito felt like complaining. He liked this other side of the other man. It served as testimony to the many facets of Asami Ryuichi, and represented one which he proudly knew the former only showed in private.

An Asami no one but the younger man knew existed.

As it happened in such moments, Akihito ended up losing track of time.

The kiss ended eventually, with both of them parting for air; their foreheads still touching, as if they were not yet ready to give up on each other's warmth.

"Won't you tell me what happened?" The photographer murmured. "...I'd like to help."

Asami sighed, starting to pull away from the younger man. That is, until the latter grabbed hold of his shirt's sleeve.

"Please." Akihito said quietly; his hazel eyes trapping Asami's dark ones in a pleading gaze.

The older man sighed again. "My father died… Maxim called me this morning with the news."

A surprised gasp escaped the photographer's lips without him realizing it.

"I-I'm sorry."

But Asami was quick to dismiss the sentiment. "Don't be. His personality wasn't the type you'd have approved of."

"Even so...I'm sorry for your loss."

Asami nodded silently in acknowledgement, his hand once again reaching for the Dunhill pack inside the breast pocket of his designer shirt.

"...How are you feeling?"

"Don't know, really." Asami confessed, whilst lighting a new cigarette against his lips. "But feeling something, it seems I am."

"I've never heard you talk about your father... I didn't even know he had been alive."

"We weren't exactly on speaking terms, Akihito. I hadn't spoken to him in over fifteen years."

"So... how did he...?"

"How did he die?

"Do you mind me asking?"

Asami shook his head in reply. "He died of a heart attack... At least that's what the press release will say, according to Maxim."

"...You don't sound convinced."

"Neither did Maxim. Quite the contrary. He believes our father was poisoned."

Akihito gasped again, causing Asami to look back at him intently.

"My father had many enemies, Akihito. One does in his line of business."

" _Your line of business, you mean..._ " The photographer mused to himself.

He remained silent for a moment, digesting all of the information; an uncomfortable feeling starting to form in the pit of his stomach.

"A-Asami...?"

A hand came up to ruffle his hair again.

"Don't start overthinking stuff." Asami admonished. "I don't have any connections to my father's businesses. His enemies are not my own."

Not that Akihito's fears were completely assuaged, but the news did bring him some degree of comfort.

Having only recently escaped Chernobog's radar, the last thing any of them needed was to once again be targeted by criminals.

He heard Asami sigh tiredly. "Whatever the case, the fact still stands that I'm one of his heirs... Which means I'll have to travel to Zagreb for the closure of his will."

"Huh? Zagreb? Do you mean your father also lived in Croatia like Maxim-san?"

"...My father was the Japanese ambassador to Croatia, Akihito. He was so for many, many years."

"W-What?" The younger man asked dumbfounded. "B-But, wait...H-How is that possible? The news agency I work for ran a story on that ambassador just a few months ago. His name's Yamamoto. Ryu Yamamoto, not Asami."

The older man nodded. "I remember reading that article. Something about his supposed dealings with the Russian mob. For once your news agency got it right. Too bad my father bought the agency's board of directors with a hefty bribe, and they dropped the investigations on the case soon after."

"...I don't understand."

Asami smiled at his lover's bewilderment. "Did you ever wonder why you could never find any information on my childhood?... I wasn't born Asami, Akihito. I changed my surname when I became an adult. I was born Yamamoto."

"... _What_?" Akihito mumbled wide-eyed. "But...why?"

"That's easy enough to explain." The older man said. "My father had plans with regard to my... future in Croatia. I opposed his plans. As soon as I came of age, I returned to Japan and decided to cut all ties with him and his businesses. Getting rid of his surname made things easier for me. I could start over here with a clean slate."

Asami anticipated the photographer's next question.

"By then my mother had already passed away, leaving me her entire estate as part of her will. At eighteen I had more than enough money to put myself through college and to start planning Sion's inception, all the while living comfortably."

"H-How come you picked the name Asami then?"

The new question made the business man pause; his expression softening all of a sudden. 

"...Asami was my grandmother's surname. She died when I was young, but I have many fond memories of her… She was always kind to me." He confessed with a smile.

Akihito's heart filled with gratitude toward the unknown woman. He was so glad to learn that Asami had been loved by at least one member of his family. "I wish I had met your grandmother." He said out loud without realizing it.

"I strongly suspect she would have taken a liking to you. She had a soft spot for reckless youngsters, after all." Asami joked, ruffling Akihito's hair with both hands.

"Hey!" Akihito laughed, trying to grab hold of his lover's wrists in order to make him stop.

"So,... what now?" He asked when he finally succeeded. "When do you have to leave?"

"Tomorrow. The funeral's being delayed until my arrival." Asami paused then, looking at the younger man intently. "Akihito, I know I have no right to ask this of you, but would you be willing-"

He did not have to finish the sentence; the photographer was nodding as soon as he started asking the question.

"I-I'll go with you, yes."

Asami's piercing gaze didn't relent though. It was as if he was attempting to read the thoughts going through Akihito's mind at that moment. "If you think it's too soon for you,... I won't mind if you tell me that you prefer to stay behind."

Sure, the prospect of returning to Chernobog's dominium didn't exactly fill Akihito with reassuring feelings, but he was quick to push his apprehension away.

"I'm fine. Stop fussing about me so much, will you? I'm not that weak." He said. "Besides, I plan to glue myself to you the entire time we're away. Hey, you can even assign a bodyguard to check my every move. I won't complain this time."

The business man answered his lover's grin with one of his own. "Good. Because I'm thinking of assigning _two_ bodyguards to keep an eye on you."

"Ok, I'm not _that_ much of a troublemaker."

"That's debatable, I'm afraid."

The photographer opened his mouth to protest, but before he had the chance to, Asami silenced him with a long kiss, which he took advantage of to pull Akihito into his arms.

"...Asami?" The younger man murmured, when the kiss finally ended yet Asami seemed reluctant to release Akihito from his embrace.

The voice that reached his ears was so unexpectedly low and soft that it made Akihito's heart skip a bit in surprise. "Stay like this." It pleaded. "Just for a little while."

"...Okay." The photographer whispered, hiding his sudden blush against the other man's neck.

" _Ti si sve što mi je ostalo na svijetu_." Was what Akihito heard moments later.

"Huh? What did you just say?"

"Nothing." Asami replied, as he finally released him from the embrace. "I was just mumbling to myself." He added with a grin. "About that sushi then. Shouldn't you be cracking on with it by now? I'm hungry."

Akihito frowned at the words though. "But you never like the sushi I make."

"Only because you insist on sprinkling kimchi powder all over it."

"What's wrong with kimchi?"

"It's made from cabbage."

"…So?"

Asami stared incredulously at Akihito for a few seconds, but the latter clearly didn't understand the extent of his culinary _faux pas_.

"Alright then, I'm ordering take out." The business announced, starting to walk indoors.

"Don't you dare!" Was the photographer's indignant reply as he quickly followed Asami, intent on giving the man a piece of his culinary chef's mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Ti si sve što mi je ostalo na svijetu." hopefully means "You are all I have left in the world now." in Croatian. If it doesn't, I blame Google Translate ha ha 😅  
> Until next time! 😉


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is what happened when Asami and Akihito went to Zagreb he he  
> Happy readings! 😄

Asami placed the carry-on by the bed, before resuming the call with Kirishima on his cellphone.

Dazed as he was with jetlag, Akihito barely registered the expensive-looking furnishings and decor of the bedroom they had just walked into.

In truth, he had barely registered much at all about the mansion he and Asami had been driven to by the limo that had been waiting for them outside of Franjo Tuđman Airport.

He was even but half conscious of the light-haired foreigner standing to his side, eyeing him with curiosity.

"I'll have a guest room prepared for you." The man told Akihito in Japanese, startling him. "You must be tired from your journey."

"He stays here."

Asami's tone as he put down his iPhone was a clear sign that the subject was not up for debate, but that wasn't enough to deter the foreigner.

"That's hardly necessary." The man said. "There are more than enough guest rooms in this house. I'll go and alert the servants to prepare one."

"He stays here."

Asami's insistence caused the light-haired man to smirk. "Surely you don't think anything of consequence could ever happen to your... _friend_ under father's roof."

Akihito wasn't sure what to make of Asami's subsequent silence, nor of the menacing look which he suddenly cast his brother's way.

Whatever silent message passed between the two men was rapidly dismissed by the eldest of the brothers though, who shrugged nonchalantly before adding: "Have it your way, Ryuichi. Where the boy sleeps is of no concern to me." He announced whilst walking toward the door. "Dinner's at eight in the east wing. Make sure you're not late. Father's lawyer will be joining us." He then stopped, smiling affectedly over the shoulder at Akihito. "Your friend is more than welcome to join us for dinner too, of course."

" _Maxim_."

Asami's terse warning seemed only to further amuse the man though. 

"You were always so overprotective of your toys, Ryuichi." Maxim told his younger brother in Croatian.

"Out." Asami replied in the same language. " _Now_."

The sound of the foreigner's chuckles rang in Akihito's ears even after the man had closed the bedroom door, finally leaving the two lovers alone with each other.

"Boy, the two of you must really have gotten along as kids, huh?"

"Ignore him. Maxim enjoys rattling people for sport... Hey, are you ok?" Asami asked whilst surveying the photographer intently. "You look like you're swaying."

"Huh, am I?...I guess I'm kind of tired."

"It's probably the jetlag. You'd be home sleeping if you had stayed behind in Japan. It's 4 am there right now."

As if on cue, Akihito yawned tiredly; his gaze momentarily falling upon the comfortable bed.

So evident was his drowsiness, that Asami ventured he could guess what thoughts were going through his mind then. "Why don't you sleep for a while? I can wake you up before dinnertime."

But Akihito shook his head at the offer. "I'm gonna hit the shower first. I feel grimy from the plane ride... Hm, do you have to go anywhere right now?"

"No, not right now. Why do you ask?"

Akihito leaned backwards so that the massive _en suite_ came into his line of vision.

"Just 'cause from where I'm standing the shower looks big enough for two people..." He smiled mischievously. "Wanna take a shower too?"

Asami arched an eyebrow at his lover's unusual straightforwardness.

"Why do I have the feeling that come tomorrow you're going to blame that invite on the jetlag?"

"Maybe." Akihito shrugged; the same smile playing on his lips. "Maybe not."

And to further tempt the man, the photographer started undressing as soon as he moved toward the _en suite_ , leaving a trail of discarded clothes in his wake.

Asami chuckled, amused by the younger man's antics.

"You brat." He said; his hands coming up to unbutton his shirt.

* * *

Asami woke first. Akihito felt his lover's body heat moving away from him even in his sleep.

His slumber didn't last long after that. With a tired moan, he forced himself to wake, blinking away sleepiness.

Given the amount of time he felt he'd slept for, Akihito had half expected to be greeted by moonlight shining through the windows, but instead it was birdsong and late afternoon sunshine what flooded the bed he was lying on.

Rubbing his eyes, he turned his head on the comfortable pillows, catching a glimpse of Asami's bum before it was covered by a pair of Hugo Boss briefs.

He remained perfectly still as Asami continued to dress, thoroughly enjoying the view of the man's sculpted body being fitted with layer upon layer of an impeccable designer suit.

Asami was in the process of fastening a watch to his wrist when he glanced back at Akihito.

"Awake already?"

The grin which accompanied the question made the photographer suspect that Asami was aware he was being watched the entire time.

Akihito yawned loudly, pulling the bed sheet over his head in order to hide a guilty blush from view.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Almost eight. We slept for two hours."

Footsteps approached the bed, the mattress tilted near Akihito's head, and soon the bed sheet was being pulled away from his face. 

"Go back to sleep for another hour if you want. I'll have your dinner sent up to the room." Asami offered, gently ruffling the younger man's hair.

"What?" He added with a raised eyebrow, when Akihito started chuckling at his words.

"No wonder you own hotels. You grew up with bloody room service at your beck and call."

"Hilarious, Akihito."

"It kind of is, actually." The younger man smiled broadly. "Hey, how come it's still so bright outside?" He asked intrigued, looking back toward the windows.

"Around here the sun only goes down around 10 pm during summertime."

"Nice! Does that mean I can still explore the grounds today?"

Asami mused with the idea for a moment, but ended up nodding in agreement. "I'll let Suoh know you're going for a walk after dinner. But walk only as far as the stables today. The sun will already be setting by the time you get there."

"Huh, stables?...Don't tell me there are horses here?!" 

The business man made a face at the photographer's hilarity.

"My father bred stallions." He informed, although that did nothing to tone down Akihito's amusement. 

"But wait, are the stables located _before_ or _after_ the heliport and golf course? I don't want to get lost." Akihito asked with mock seriousness.

"Enough already."

Asami silenced the younger man the best way he could think of - with a long, deep kiss that had Akihito smiling against his lips, and shifting closer to his warmth.

The photographer was still naked from before.

Under the bed sheet, Asami's hand found his ribcage, rested against his stomach for a moment, and then travelled downwards.

When Akihito gasped, arching his back against the mattress, the business man knew he had his lover right where he wanted.

"D-Don't you have an important dinner to go to right now?" Akihito hissed, trying to control the heat rapidly surging through his body.

Asami grinned. "No harm in having an appetizer first."

And with that he pulled the bed sheet away from Akihito's body.

* * *

**(Later that evening)**

Akihito lowered his head from time to time, whilst walking along the gravel pathway that zigzagged through the entire property grounds.

To say he felt mortified was an understatement.

What with Suoh twenty feet in front of him, stopping to interrogate any unfortunate servant who happened to walk across the pathway, and another one of Asami's trusted men doing the exact same thing some feet behind Akihito, the photographer could only cringe thinking about the rumors that would no doubt be circulating about him that night in the servants' quarters of the Yamamoto mansion.

Outwardly though, he did his best to pretend his two stern-faced chaperones didn't embarrass the hell out of him.

Aiding him in the endeavor was his trusty camera and the scenery surrounding him, which beauty the young man took advantage of frequently in order to augment his stock photography portfolio.

And there were indeed multiple points of interest waiting to be captured by his camera lens: from the collection of ancient Greek statues scattered about a primly kept rose garden, to a greenhouse the size of a baseball field packed full of exotic named plants, to the manmade lake at the center of the property, home to a family of beautiful (albeit unfriendly) swans.

Such was the splendor surrounding Akihito that he could not help but feel in awe of Asami's childhood home.

He still had trouble believing that anyone could be fortunate enough to have grown-up in such a place. He doubted even the wealthiest; most exclusive resorts on the planet could compete with such a property.

Yet beneath all of their luxurious ambience, the mansion and surrounding grounds gave off a strange vibe that rubbed Akihito's chest the wrong way...

Their beauty felt like a varnish: stunning without a doubt, but also unnatural and cold. As if all was there primarily for show; an elaborate gimmick that served no other purpose than to display immense wealth in order to entice envy out of third parties.

Akihito had reached the stables by the time the word he had been struggling to find to characterize the place finally popped inside his head, causing him to smile sadly.

'Lonely', that was the word. The place felt lonely, desperately so. For all of its beauty, it carried no joy, and he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart as he imagined a young Ryuichi walking down the same pathway as he had, with no one to keep him company day after day.

A purring sound followed by the feel of something soft rubbing against his ankle pulled Akihito away from his musings.

The young man looked down to find his newest acquaintance starring up at him inquisitively.

"You again?"

He bent down to scratch the cat behind its ears. "Did you follow me all the way here?"

Akihito had first encountered the white-haired feline slumbering on the hallway just outside his and Asami's suite.

But even though at the time he had stopped to rub the cat's belly as a means of introduction, the latter had not seemed at all inclined to relinquish its sleep in favor of a new human friend.

Now though, the feline kept trying to jump into Akihito's arms, all alert and playful-like; its meowing loud enough to turn the ears of the nearby horses in its direction.

It didn't take long for Akihito to indulge its playful pleas, and soon the cat was contently purring in the photographer's arms.

"I'd put her down if I were you." A voice said behind Akihito, startling him.

He hadn't noticed anyone else approaching the stables aside from Suoh and his colleague.

" _Ça va bien_?" The new arrival said.

It took a moment for the young man to recognize the tanned foreigner addressing him.

He quickly realized though that was due to the man's haircut. The stylish locks Akihito had last seen on his head had since then been replaced by a buzz cut.

"...Alex-san?"

"Hello there, young master." The blond smiled warmly.

He lifted an arm toward the cat, seemingly intent on patting it, but at the last moment the feline hissed loudly, its paw shooting up, claws ready to scratch him.

"See what I mean? She's a feisty little one." Alex chuckled.

"Surprised to see me again?" He added moments later; an eyebrow raised toward Akihito.

It was only then that the latter realized he had yet to properly greet the man.

"O-Oh, sorry. Hi, how are you?"

A flashback of a hotel room and a knife hidden under a pillow suddenly popped into his mind, followed by another one showing the look of utter surprise on Asami's face as the knife descended toward him without mercy.

If it hadn't been for Alex unexpectedly barging into the room to deliver urgent news to Asami from Kirishima...

Akihito gulped, pushing the memory to the back of his mind.

"What...What are you doing here?"

The European stopped halfway from lighting a cigarette against his lips.

He smoked Dunhills like Asami. Akihito recognized the packaging.

"I work for Ryuichi's brother, Maxim... Ah, you'll have to excuse me. My Japanese probably sounds terrible to you. I was never very good at it." He laughed apologetically.

But Akihito shook his head, hoping to dismiss the other man's concern with his smile.

He wondered for a moment what type of 'work' it was that Alex did for Maxim.

Only for a moment really. Alex's next remark swiftly pushed aside any such curiosity from his mind.

"You look well since I last saw you."

"... _when you attempted to kill Ryuichi_." Was what was left unsaid.

The precarious dam holding Akihito's memories threatened to crack again.

All color drained from the younger man's face in a matter of seconds.

"I...I...Well...That time..."

Fortunately, the European seemed to sense his distress, opting to change the subject with lightning speed.

"How do you like the Yamamoto estate? Massive, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes. Yes, it is."

"Ryuichi and I once tried measuring it with a tape. We gave up from sheer boredom before we had even reached the rose garden. We were such odd kids." He laughed at himself.

Akihito stared at him surprised. "You knew him as a child?"

Alex nodded. "My father worked in the mansion. He used to bring me to work with him from time to time, but I always managed to find a way to escape to the gardens. That's where I first met Ryuichi. Of course at the time I didn't know he was the young master of the Yamamoto family. I just assumed he was another servant's kid, like I was."

He stared into the distance, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in a mysterious smile. "We used to get in all sorts of trouble back then."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. Well mostly myself, if I'm to be totally honest. Ryuichi was a lot more sensible than I was... Can't really say that has changed over time." He chuckled, winking playfully at Akihito.

"H-How was he like?...As a child, I mean."

"I guess he still doesn't enjoy talking about himself, huh?" Alex mused correctly. "How was Ryuichi like as a child, you ask?...Mm, pretty much the way he is now, I'd venture to say. No-nonsense, incredibly clever, very much his own boss... Scary traits in a kid." He winked at Akihito again. "He always managed to find a way out of every dire situation I'd get us into. That's why we never used to get caught. Not even by the estate's security guards."

Akihito smiled alongside the European, amused by the revelation.

Next time Asami alluded to his juvenile delinquent years, Akihito would be sure to have a few jabs ready to be used regarding his lover's not so rule-abiding youth.

"He has changed though...Quite a bit."

The older man's remark intrigued Akihito.

"Oh, how so?" He asked.

Alex stared into the distance again,... or maybe he was staring into the distance past. The photographer couldn't tell which.

"I don't know if I'll be able to explain... But for all that Ryuichi was, and for all that he had, I always had this feeling that deep down he was unsatisfied, and that he kept...searching for something. Something he himself didn't know what it was back then."

He turned to look at Akihito.

Was it envy what the younger man saw flickering momentarily in the blond's eyes?

"...Something that he has only recently found." 

"My apologies. Am I interrupting?"

For the second time in less than ten minutes Akihito felt himself startle; the cat in his arms meowing in acknowledgement to his sudden fright.

Both Alex and he turned to look at the newest arrival, but whilst the former remained calm and collected, Akihito had a feeling his jaw had just dropped to the floor.

In front of him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life (and suspected would ever see again).

Her appearance was so altogether breathtaking that for a second Akihito was convinced one of the statues depicting Greek goddesses in the rose garden had come to life.

"I'm terribly sorry to intrude." She addressed them in English, her voice as sweet as honey. "Would you lend me your lighter, Alex? I don't know where I've left mine."

She moved the hand that held an unlit cigar suggestively.

That was all it took for the blond man to move toward her with lighting speed.

"Good evening, Ivana." He greeted the woman, shielding the lighter from the wind as she lit up her cigar.

"Now, now, Alex, what have I told you about addressing me in such familiar terms?"

Something resembling disappointment contorted the man's features, but it was gone the next second; his face quickly assuming its usual charm.

He nodded toward the woman respectfully. "Good evening, Mrs. Yamamoto." He corrected the initial greeting.

" _Mrs. Yamamoto_?" If anything, Akihito became even more dumbfounded by the stranger.

He stared at her again, musing.

She seemed older than Asami, probably closer to Maxim's age (which Akihito suspected to be around forty-three or forty-four).

He gasped quietly. Could the woman be Maxim's wife? It had never crossed his mind that Asami's half-brother could be married, but now that he thought about the possibility, it sounded perfectly plausible to him.

The stranger soon returned the same type of look he was giving her though. She seemed equally intrigued by Akihito.

"Is this him?" She asked Alex, the corner of her painted lips curling upwards.

So far all of the woman's exchanges had been in English, albeit short and simple enough that even Akihito was able to understand her.

Feeling self-conscious of his poor English skills, the younger man nevertheless tried speaking to her. 

"S-Sorry. I not know you."

She chuckled. "Yes. I'm sure he never mentioned me to you." She said, now in perfect Japanese.

Judging by the way she phrased the sentence, Akihito could tell that the 'he' she was referring to wasn't the male standing between them in the stables.

The male in question coughed to get their attention though.

"Please allow me to make the introductions.” Alex said; his tone suddenly so professional he reminded Akihito of Kirishima Key.

"Akihito, this is Ivana Yamamoto, Ryu Yamamoto's wife."

Akihito nearly dropped the cat at the news.

Wondering if his Japanese hadn't been fully understood, Alex added: "Mrs. Yamamoto is Maxim and Ryuichi's stepmother."

The photographer's incredulous stare went from the woman to Alex, back to the woman again.

He had a feeling his mouth was hanging open and that he should be saying something, but his ears weren't picking up any sounds.

It was only when his brain connected the words 'wife' and 'Yamamoto', and rearranged them into the word 'widow' that his tongue unfroze, and he bowed swiftly, all the while blushing profusely.

"GoodeveningMynameisTakabaAkihitoIamsosorryforyourloss." He said in one go.

The sound of her laughter caused the photographer to straighten back up.

"How cute." She said, surprisingly unperturbed; a cloud of white smoke escaping through her red lips.

Akihito found her gaze uncomfortable to bear. She seemed capable of reading his inner most thoughts if she felt like it; her eyes more cat-like than even those of the feline currently in his arms.

"Is the dinner over?" Alex asked, in an attempt to break the ice.

"Yes, I suppose. I left after dessert to come for a walk. The boys stayed behind with the lawyer."

The boys? Was she referring to Asami and Maxim? Her stepsons? Blimey, Akihito still couldn't believe Asami had a stepmother nearly his age!

"You're a professional photographer, I hear." Ivana Yamamoto said, her gaze dropping toward the camera hanging by a strap from Akihito's shoulder. "I must ask you to take some photos of our horses while you're here. We're planning to sell some of them...We will pay you for your work, of course."

_We_? Who was 'we'? Her and Maxim? But Maxim didn't even like him...

"O-Ok." Akihito found himself nodding nonetheless.

Again her gaze seemed to bore holes into him, yet for some mystifying reason Akihito felt powerless to escape its hold.

He looked toward the entrance of the stables, where Suoh and his colleague stood immobile, in sight but out of earshot, and wondered why they had let that woman of all people get near him.

Ivana's sickeningly sweet voice called his attention back toward her.

"I must say you're not at all like how I had imagined you, Akihito-kun." She told him.

"Huh, Iva-, I mean Mrs. Yamamoto, perhaps you should leave the young man be." The blond man next to her attempted to intervene.

"Oh, hush Alex, it's not like I'm going to steal the boy away from _him_... As much as this one's a real cutie... Then again, I suppose I shouldn't feel surprised. Ryuichi always did have impeccable taste when it came to the people he took to bed." She smiled conceitedly. 

Alex's eyes narrowed into slits at her words; his lips suddenly morphing into a thin line. Akihito didn't know what to make of his odd reaction.

"Tell me boy, is Ryuichi still into bondage these days?"

Akihito had little time to process the shock brought upon by the woman's question.

Before he had the chance to utter a single word, footsteps were heard on the gravel pathway behind them, and a male voice called out:

"And what happy occasion resulted in this rendezvous?"

The voice was dry, sarcastic, devoid of any shred of warmth, and for all of that, completely unmistakable.

Maxim had arrived.

Ivana was quick to greet her eldest stepson.

"Come to join the fun, have you?" She mimicked his tone perfectly.

"Don't be ridiculous." Maxim snickered. "I'm on my way to the garage. I have a meeting downtown with one of father's associates."

"In the middle of the night? My, my, aren't you a busy man?"

"Someone has to take care of the family business now that father's gone."

The underlying hint of resentment in his voice didn't escape Akihito's notice.

"Where's Ryuichi?" The woman asked, ignoring her stepson's last remark altogether.

She looked over Maxim's shoulder, as if expecting to see the other man appear along the pathway.

"I left him arguing with the lawyer." The eldest of the brothers informed. "He's refusing to accept his share in father's will."

"Tipical Ryuichi." Ivana chuckled.

"Ah yes. Before I forget, the lawyer said he wants to speak to you again before he leaves for the night."

It was then that Maxim first paid heed to Akihito, eyeing both him and the cat sideways.

"I see you've already met Ryuichi's pet." He said to Ivana.

Stupidly, Akihito thought that the man was referring to the cat. That is, until he remembered Asami didn't own any cats.

"H-Hey!" He exclaimed indignantly.

Ivana laughed at the situation. "Don't be mean, Maxim."

"Mean? _Me_? I hardly reach your ankles in that department."

And then turning toward Akihito, he added: "You. I'd keep an eye on this woman if I were you. With my father dead, she's finally free to prey on my brother."

"It's what you've always wanted, isn't it, Ivana?"

If Maxim was hoping his words would discomfit the woman, his attempt was just that,... an attempt.

"No need to taunt the boy with such matters. It's clear Ryuichi's tastes lie elsewhere these days." Ivana winked at Akihito.

The photographer's brain was in muddle. Had he really heard all of what he thought he had? His evening was turning out to be totally surreal.

"Well then, I might as well go see what Ryu's lawyer wants from me." The woman announced. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Akihito-kun. I hope we'll see more of each other in the next coming days."

A chill ran down Akihito's spine as she began sauntering up the gravel pathway. He really hoped he didn't have to meet Ivana Yamamoto again at all.

"Alex." Maxim motioned for the blond man to follow him, and without even bidding Akihito good night, he started walking in the opposite direction of Ivana. 

Akihito felt Alex stop momentarily beside him. "Interesting bunch the Yamamotos, aren't they?" The European smiled apologetically. "Well, good night young master. See you around."

And with that he too disappeared down the gravel pathway.

Akihito stood in the middle of the stables for a while longer, his mind trying to process the evening's events.

He gave up when the cat started meowing, claiming back his attention.

The young man looked down at the feline, almost hoping that the cat could help him make some sense of what had just taken place.

"I don't know about you," Akihito told it. "but that was about one of the weirdest encounters I've ever had in my life."

* * *

**(Sometime after midnight)**

Akihito was sitting cross-legged on the bed, patting the cat, when the door to the bedroom opened, and in walked Asami at last.

The business man appeared to be deep in thought, so much so, that the cigarette dangling from his lips was still unlit.

Instinct told the photographer that that cigarette was but the latest of many that evening.

"Chain smoking again?" He asked cautiously.

The look Asami cast his way whilst undressing suggested he was in no mood to chitchat, but then the older man's gaze fell upon the fur ball curled up on Akihito's lap and he frowned.

"What's that damn cat doing here?"

Surprised by his lover's grumpiness, Akihito stopped patting the animal.

"She was sleeping in front of the door when I left to go for a walk. She's been following me around ever since." The younger man explained. "Was she your dad's?"

"No, that's Lyon, one of Maxim's cats. He brings her everywhere with him." Asami disclosed from inside the _en suite_ , where he had gone to freshen himself up.

"I'm surprised he's never married her. She's about the only female on the planet that can put up with him." He added when he came out of the bathroom, clad in only a pair of pajama bottoms.

As if sensing its owner was being spoken ill of, the cat hissed menacingly at Asami as soon as the latter slumped on the bed beside Akihito.

Not that the human felt in any way intimidated by the display of ferociousness. Quite the contrary, he returned the cat's angry stare in much the same way.

No one needed to tell Akihito that his lover was pissed-off at his brother. The look in his eyes was proof enough of it to the youngster.

He had to bite down his lower lip to prevent an amused smile from framing the edges of his lips.

"The dinner went that well, huh?"

"Don't ask."

"Hm, I met your stepmother tonight... Down by the stables."

Akihito couldn't tell if the noise that came out of Asami's mouth then qualified as a grunt or as a curse.

"The happy widow, you mean?"

"She did seem kind of... unfazed, for someone who's just lost a husband."

"Did she hit on you?"

" _Huh_?! Why would she? Her husband has just died!"

Asami shrugged. "That wouldn't stop her. Besides, you're her type. She has a thing for younger men."

Suddenly the photographer recalled the woman's unexpected question regarding Asami; suspicion blooming inside his mind.

"What's her story anyway?" Akihito asked, pushing aside any conjectures for the time being. "Isn't she a bit too young to have been married to your father?"

"She was my father's personal assistant." Asami explained. "When her contract came to a close, and she talked about switching careers, my father had but two choices. Either have her killed because she knew too much, or marry her so she couldn't escape his clutches... I guess he figured she was too pretty to kill."

Akihito stared at his lover wide-eyed; a clear indication that that type of logic was beyond his moral code.

"Did she... mention anything about me to you?"

" _Aside from hinting that she had the hots for you at some point_?"

"No, not really." Was what Akihito said out loud instead. "Your brother showed up soon after she started talking to me."

Asami grumbled. "Don't use that word."

"What word?"

"'Brother'. I'd rather not be reminded that I'm related to that guy."

"Well,... I guess Maxim-san can be kind of an ass sometimes."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Noticing for the first time the sullen expression that had taken hold of the younger man's face, Asami sat up in bed to stare at his lover intently.

"Did he say anything to upset you?"

But Akihito was quick to shake his head, dismissing the relevance of that evening's encounter with the light-haired man.

"He just acted like a jerk to everyone really. Your friend Alex was there too."

But Asami's suspicions weren't completely assuaged; his attention suddenly turning toward the drowsy cat.

"Did Maxim see Lyon with you?"

"Huh?... Yeah, I guess. I'd picked her up from the floor a while before he arrived."

Asami's eyelids narrowed into slits. "Did he mention anything at all about the cat while he was with you?"

"Huh, no. Nothing at all. Why do you ask? _Hey_ , what are you doing?!"

But Asami had already grabbed Lyon by the collar and pulled the cat toward him.

"I wouldn't put it past Maxim to have wired Lyon and sent her after you."

" _What_?...You can't be serious!" Akihito exclaimed, staring incredulously at the mellow feline.

"You clearly don't know Maxim like I do. He's probably been recording every word you've said all night." Asami disclosed, whilst checking the cat's collar for hidden wires.

"Why on earth would he think to do such a thing?"

The older man chuckled at the photographer's innocence.

"Don't take it personally. It's just Maxim being Maxim. He likes to know everyone's secrets so that he can use them against his targets when it's most convenient to him. He used to put wires on the servants all the time when we were kids." 

Akihito turned red with outrage, but almost immediately an idea started forming in his mind.

He leaned over toward Asami, so that he could whisper as low and intelligibly as he could into his lover's ear: "Do you really think she's wired?"

The older man stopped his investigations of Lyon's collar, to look at Akihito intrigued.

"Yes. Why?"

The blush that suddenly appeared on the photographer’s cheeks ended up being balanced out by the grin that twitched one corner of his mouth upwards.

"'Cause I've just thought of a way to really piss-off Maxim-san."

And with that he pushed Asami down onto the mattress, moving a leg over the older man's body, so that he ended up straddling his waist.

"But we need to be very, _very_ loud." He told the other man, all the while pulling his t-shirt over his head.

"You really are a brat." Asami grinned.

The plan to piss-off his brother was definitely on.


End file.
